Hacking Cong worker’s FB account, protests were planned, says Pattan

Belagavi: Former Ramdurg MLA Ashok Pattan here on Tuesday alleged that posting pro-Pakistan slogans on his supporter’s Facebook wall by hacking his account and subsequent protests by BJP and right-wing outfits in Ramdurg town were planned.
On Sunday night, police arrested Nagaraj Mali for hacking the Facebook account of Pattan’s supporter Shafi Benne and posting pro-Pakistan slogans on Friday. Before the arrest, BJP staged a massive protest in Ramdurg on Saturday and MP Suresh Angadi at SP’s office on Sunday demanding Shafi’s arrest.

Addressing mediapersons here on Tuesday, senior Congressman Pattan alleged that it was a conspiracy to defame him. How did over 500 workers gather within a few minutes of the Facebook post and shout slogans against him and Shafi, he asked.

Pattan alleged that BJP MLA Mahadevappa Yadawad and his workers had caused a communal disturbance in Ramdurg on Saturday and urged police to take action against them. He said he and Benne would file separate complaints against the MLA and other workers who called them anti-nationals. “My father and mother were freedom fighters. I don’t need to take lessons of patriotism from BJP leaders,” he said.

Shivaratri celebrations was the target

Ashok Pattan said following his initiative, a 78-foot statue of Lord Shiva on the outskirts of Ramdurg town was inaugurated last year. It’s the second tallest in Karnataka after the one at Murudeshwar and the place is gradually growing as a tourist spot. Last year, over 1 lakh people visited the spot and this had irked his opponents.

Pattan said the statue is Shafi’s brainchild and he manages the arrangements at the spot during Shivaratri. “My opponents targeted Shafi and me to ruin Shivaratri celebrations,” he said.

Former Belagavi MLA Firoz Sait said it was an old trick of the BJP to raise communal issues during elections. Police should look into the motive for such actions. District Congress (rural) president Vinay Navalagatti and city block president Raju Sait were also present at the press meet.